2024 will undoubtedly be a memorable and historic year for BYU basketball. On the court, BYU exceeded all expectations in its first year in the Big 12 and provided fans with an entertaining regular season. After what appeared to be a setback following Mark Pope’s departure to Kentucky, BYU hired Kevin Young, who propelled recruiting to new heights.
I’ve ranked the top ten largest and most memorable moments of 2024. My list isn’t perfect, and I might move things about because I’m comparing specific moments/games to larger storylines and events, but the gist of it is what I found most interesting in 2024.
10. BYU Opens 2024-2025 Big 12 Campaign with Dominating Win Over Arizona State
There is obviously some recency bias here because this recently happened, but this was a crucial win for two reasons. 1) BYU avoided repeating last year’s 0-2 start in Big 12 play, and 2) the Cougars answered some doubts about how they would fare against a quality opponent. Last season, BYU went 0-2 in Big 12 play, including a home defeat to Cincinnati, but escaped that fate with a comfortable 20-point win over a talented Arizona State club. There is obviously some recency bias here because this recently happened, but this was a crucial win for two reasons. 1) BYU avoided repeating last year’s 0-2 start in Big 12 play, and 2) the Cougars answered some doubts about how they would fare against a quality opponent. Last season, BYU went 0-2 in Big 12 play, including a home defeat to Cincinnati, but escaped that fate with a comfortable 20-point win over a talented Arizona State club.
9. BYU Dominates Iowa State for First Signature Big 12 Win
We didn’t realise it at the time, but BYU’s 87-72 victory over Iowa State in Provo was an extremely impressive win. Iowa State was ranked 24th into the January 16 encounter in Provo, while BYU was ranked 20th. Last season, Iowa State was the best team in forcing turnovers, but BYU had only 11 turnovers and outscored the Cyclones with 13 made threes. Spencer Johnson scored 28 points, and Dallin Hall was unfazed by the Cyclones’ pressure, dishing up 8 assists. BYU led by as much as 23 points in the second half, and the Cyclones went on to win the Big 12 tournament and finish 14-3 against Big 12 schools following their loss to BYU.
8. Aly Khalifa Dazzles with Shooting and Passing in Win Over Baylor
I’d be remiss not to include Aly Khalifa here. Khalifa may be forgotten in BYU history as Kevin Young possessed NBA-caliber talent, but he was one of the most entertaining BYU players I’ve ever seen. “The Egyptian Magician” was the best passing big man in collegiate basketball and revolutionised the way BYU could operate Mark Pope’s offense. His entire skill set was on display in BYU’s February 20 win over Baylor, where he scored 14 points (4-6 from three), grabbed 7 rebounds, and assisted 7 times.
Some of the other wins were bigger than Baylor’s, but the Marriott Centre was on fire in the first half as Aly roasted potential first-round pick Yves Missi from the perimeter with outside jumpers and vicious backdoor feeds to BYU cutters. Thank you, Aly, for captivating us with your backdoor passes and long-range bombs.
7. Jaxson Robinson Wins Big 12 Sixth Man of Year Award
Jaxson Robinson had two excellent seasons at Provo, and he improved significantly in his second season, leading BYU in scoring. Robinson made at least one three-pointer in every Big 12 game and nearly led BYU back to victory over Duquesne, scoring 25 points in the NCAA Tournament loss. His 18 points in BYU’s upset win over Kansas capped a streak of six consecutive double-digit games and undoubtedly propelled him to the forefront of Big 12 6MOY Honours.
6. BYU’s Unique Style of Play Catapults Cougars to NCAA Tournament 6 Seed
The NCAA Tournament concluded on a sad note, but BYU’s entire season and style of play made for an entertaining kind of basketball to watch. More than half of BYU’s field goal attempts were from beyond the arc, and rival coaches often stated that BYU was the most difficult team to prepare for owing to their distinct style of play and personnel. 7 players made 29+ threes, and the #18 finish in KenPom was the second highest since Jimmer graduated, just after Mark Pope’s first year in Provo.
5. BYU’s Recruiting Reaches New Heights
I’ll discuss AJ Dybantsa and Egor Demin in greater detail later, but BYU’s “other” recruitment successes must also be discussed. Kevin Young recruited a top 15 high school class for BYU despite arriving in Provo weeks after the transfer portal opened. The standout was 5-star Egor Demin, but BYU also signed three 4-star high school players: Kanon Catchings, Brody Kozlowski, and Elijah Crawford. Kevin Young’s accomplishments in a short amount of time are impressive, especially with mid-year recruit Khadim Mboup, international player Mihailo Boskovic, and impact transfers Keba Keita and Mawot Mag. The 2025 class is presently top ten nationally with the additions of AJ Dybantsa, Xavion Staton, and Chamberlain Burgess.
4. Egor Demin Commits to BYU
Before Egor Demin’s signing, BYU supporters were excited about the program’s future under Kevin Young, but Demin’s pledge demonstrated that his NBA recruiting appeal was more than just rhetoric. BYU had some solid wins prior to Demin’s signing, including the return of Dallin Hall and Richie Saunders from the transfer portal, freshmen commits Elijah Crawford and Brody Kozlowski, and the commitment of Utah transfer Keba Keita, but Demin’s signing garnered national headlines. Kevin Young needed an NBA star to lay the groundwork for his NBA factory in Provo, and Demin delivered.
In the grand picture of BYU’s program development, Demin’s commitment should be higher on this list because he will most likely be the first of many NBA Draft picks, but for the sake of focussing solely on 2024, I must give the nod to an on-the-court result.
3. BYU Upsets Kansas in Phog Allen Fieldhouse
Bill Self does not lose at home. Perhaps not literally, but Kansas had a 313-17 home record under Bill Self in the previous 21 years. Phog Allen is perhaps the most difficult location to play in collegiate basketball, and it is home to decades of history. BYU entered the game reeling after dropping two of three, including a 10-point loss at Kansas State only three days prior. If BYU couldn’t win at Kansas State, how could they win at Kansas?
BYU went into halftime down 35-29. Although BYU was competitive, I doubt many of its fans expected the team to win the game. The Jayhawks led by six points with less than seven minutes remaining, and two Dallin Hall free throws with less than five minutes left gave BYU a one-point lead and its first lead of the second half.
After that, I believe I went unconscious. Here are BYU’s next possessions: Dallin Hall made three, Noah Waterman made one of two free throws, Jaxson Robinson made two, Dallin Hall made three (the dagger), Dallin Hall made one of two free throws, Fouss made two, and Spencer Johnson made two. BYU scored on their final eight possessions of the game. Incredible. Dallin Hall’s three over Hunter Dickinson with 1:34 left gave BYU a 71-66 lead and is one of the most legendary shots in program history. Dallin finished the game with 18 points, three assists, and zero turnovers. BYU outscored the Jayhawks 47-33 in the second half to win 76–68.
2. AJ Dybantsa Signs with BYU
It will be fascinating to observe how AJ Dybantsa’s signing affects BYU 5, 10, and even 20 years from now. Dybantsa possesses the potential to be the face of USA Basketball and the NBA. His signing confirms that BYU can be a superpower under Kevin Young and dispels myths about BYU and the types of players who can attend. If AJ Dybantsa can attend BYU, then why can’t great quarterback (insert name here)? On the court, the 2025-2026 season will be the most anticipated ever. AJ will under pressure to lead BYU to the final four and fight for the national championship. BYU will be a national story with AJ, appearing in key television spots throughout the year. The buzz has arrived, and AJ will now have to deliver on it.
1. Mark Pope Leaves to Kentucky, BYU Hires Kevin Young
Numbers 2, 4, and 5 on this list do not occur without Kevin Young. Although Mark Pope had a fairly successful campaign at BYU, and was extraordinarily successful in comparison to expectations in BYU’s first season in the Big 12, we’ve seen things for BYU Basketball in the last 8 months that we never imagined possible. BYU’s assistants, strength program, nutrition, and overall approach to the game resemble that of the NBA. Donors have donated BYU a lot of money, putting it among the best NIL basketball collectives. The groundwork has been laid for BYU basketball to achieve unprecedented success and reach new heights. Kevin Young intends to deliver on the court. I can’t wait to watch it.